Greentech Lead India: During the 12th Five Year Plan period up to 2017 India would add around 42 GW in renewable energy capacity, said Farooq Abdullah, Minister for New & Renewable Energy.
Wind will constitute greater share of this added capacity at 30 GW, followed by solar at 10 GW and small hydro at 2 GW, the Minister said.
Recently the Minister announced that electricity generated from wind power projects in India is close to achieving grid-parity with conventional electricity.
Tamil Nadu offers the lowest buy back rate of Rs. 3.51 per Kwh among the Indian states that have significant wind power potential. Karnataka holds the second position in terms of lowest buy back rate at Rs. 3.70 per Kwh.
Among these states, Rajasthan and Maharashtra are the two states that buy wind energy at more than Rs. 5 per Kwh.
The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) is planning to expand renewable energy transmission infrastructure to eight states that are identified as the potential places for renewable energy developments. They are Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and also Jammu & Kashmir.
The Ministry has assigned the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) to prepare a report on the transmission infrastructure development in these states. The report estimates that during 12th Five Year Plan period around 42 GW renewable energy capacity would be added.
MNRE in collaboration with the Ministry of Power have entered into a Joint Declaration of Intent with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany on 11 April 2013 to foster increased use of renewable energy by integrating additional renewable energy generation capacity with the national grid.
India has produced 23,557 million units of power from renewable energy sources during April to August 2012. According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), 36947 million units, 41150 million units and 51226 million units were generated during 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12 respectively from renewable energy sources.